


Hide Your Face So the World Will Never Find You

by damnitsaerin



Category: Dragon's Dogma
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Costume Parties & Masquerades, Dragon's Dogma Spoilers, F/M, Magic, Mild Smut, Murder Mystery, Non-Graphic Smut, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:22:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26285614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/damnitsaerin/pseuds/damnitsaerin
Summary: A murder at the masquerade!The Arisen, attending Duke Edmund's annual masquerade ball, is forced to investigate a murder that took place some time during the night.With the help of her pawn Dahlia, her best friend Mercedes, the Captain of the Hunt Ser Maximillian and the brave knight Ser Julien she is to uncover the ever evolving story that is this murder mystery.
Relationships: Female Arisen/Julien
Kudos: 2





	1. Masquerade

_"Masquerade!_

_Seething shadows  
Breathing lies . . .  
Masquerade!  
You can fool  
Any friend who  
Ever knew you!"_


	2. Paper Faces

You hadn't worn a dress in your life. Being from a little fishing town you'd never had the reason to. Everything about this felt strange.  
  
You lifted your head to look at the handmaidens and the tailor standing in front of you. "Are you sure this looks all right?" You asked. The tailor beamed widely. "Quite quaint! Wonderful! I must say I did an exquisite job." He began to chant happily, praising his own work. A few flattering mumbles fluttered about from the handmaidens and you thanked them courteously. Though despite this you still felt so nervous, even with the compliments. You had never been to a masquerade before, or even let alone any type of dance apart from bonfire festivals on the beach back at home. Part of you felt like this had all been one big, bad idea. Why had the Dragon chosen you? So many people in your village and out of everyone it had to be you.  
  
You turned back to look at yourself in the mirror but you were abruptly stopped. The tailor tsk'd towards you. "Not yet, my lady!" The handmaidens began to ruffle around with your dress, fixing it up here and there. You kept trying to remind yourself that at least you'd never have to wear the dress again. There was a knock on the door of your room and you startled for a moment. Your eyes shot up to find Mercedes, who was also adorning a dress silver in colour with golden patterning. "Ah, Arisen! You don't look yourself. You might just fool everyone at this masquerade," she mused.  
  
You felt your cheeks begin to grow warm. Mercedes chuckled. "I jest!" She exclaimed. You feigned offense, shaking your head. "Be careful, Mercedes. You might get what's coming to you." She grinned, picking her arm up and placing her own mask upon her face. "You and I both know you wouldn't lay a finger upon me," she gushed, waving a hand in the air cheekily before saying her goodbyes and wisking hersslf away to go join the starting masquerade. This dance had you almost on edge. Dancing and enjoying parties wasn't what you were supposed to be doing. The whole of Gransys was at peril, if not soon to be the world.   
  
And yet the Duke had demanded a party in the time of darkness. You found it strange. In fact much of what the Duke had done since your arrival had been strange. He refused pawns into his demesne, forbid his wife from leaving and, despite being the previous Arisen, had never seemed to age a day even after having his heart returned. But these thoughts, if spoken aloud, were treason. Questioning the Duke's intentions was definitely a horrible idea.   
  
"I think you might just be ready, my lady," one of the handmaidens decreeded. For a moment when you turned around and did a once off of yourself in the mirror you were almost shocked. You thought back to Cassardis, flashbacks flooding your mind. Your humble beginnings had now landed you here, prancing around, gallivanting and conversing with some of the most wealthy and powerful people from both in and out of Gransys. You tried not to let it all go to your head, to inflate your ego, but it felt good looking at yourself in the full length mirror wearing a long, tight fitting dress hugging all your curves and edges. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.  
  
The dress was long and flowing, adorned with bright crimson red with black accents lining your waist, along the middle of the skirt and on the ruffles of your sleeves that ended mid length just above the elbow. The bust was low, but just above it the dress connected with a choker. Your lips were a slightly darker red than your dress, with a subtle black ombre surrounding the outside of your lips that had been blended inwards. Your eyeshadow was smokey with hints of a bright red. "You look lovely, Arisen. Simply stunning," the tailor announced. An indistinct smile grew upon your lips, just barely visible.   
  
Another handmaiden presented your mask wearily. You looked down at the mask in her hands. It resembled the Dragon, in both colour and shape. Black horns jutted out from the top, slowly leading down into the red scales of the mask. Still, the mask had been decorated like those of normal ones, covered in black jewels placed all above the eye holes and along the frames, a few even hanging off the horns on thin chains. The gem dust and gold flakes gave it a shiny and delicate appearance. You were afraid to even look at it for the worry that you might just break it. You did a double take of the colour and now that you thought of it the mask matched your dress in colour almost exactly when you ignored the gold. Even the highlight of the glitter on the dress matched the gem dust.   
  
As gently as possible you lifted it out of her hands and laid it on your face, pulling the elastic back behind your head, lifting your hair and hiding it from sight. It fit you well surprisingly.   
  
"I love it," you murmured, awed at the sight of yourself. For the first time ever you felt... beautiful. "Thank you." You spun around, ready to enjoy your night, trotting off out of the room with the others filtering out behind you and scattering out across the castle's second floor. You stood out on the balcony overlooking the Duke's throne hall. You could see him, sitting there with his expression as stern as ever. He, too, wore a mask. Not that he needed one. To the left of him stood Mercedes who had managed to spot you standing there above. She gave you a shy wave, smiling brightly. You returned the gesture happily. Then to the Duke's right was Julien in all his annoying glory. He had that look of familiar disdain on his face that never left his expression. Sometimes you wondered if he ever actually smiled.   
  
It was almost as if he'd heard you, though, as Julien looked up towards you with a faint smirk gracing his lips, tipping his head down towards you in greetings. It was a shock to say the least but you, albeit reluctantly, smiled back.   
  
You found yourself looking down at the people who'd already arrived. There were at least one hundred people already packed together, mingling with one another while a band played faintly in the background. Food and drink were served out on silver platters, sitting on long tables kept to the side of the room. Beer and wine kegs were already being taken advantage of by men and woman alike. You hurriedly walked to join the Duke and the others downstairs.   
  
"Ah, Arisen!" The Duke exclaimed, throwing his arms out in elation. Soon his sternness had been replaced by delight upon seeing your arrival. "I'm so glad you could join us! It would've been such a shame to have celebrated this night without you." You felt somehow awkward and unsure of how to mirror such enthusiasm, but you tried your best. "I wouldn't miss it for the world, m'lord," you cajoled in acknowledgement. He took your hand, shaking it firmly. "Please, Arisen, go and enjoy yourself. You, Mercedes, and you Julien! Please, accompany her! Enjoy the night to the best of your ability!"   
  
Mercedes had you at your hand, pulling you into the crowd and soon linking up your arms. You had never seen Mercedes like this before. She'd always resented wearing dresses and yet here she was. "Tonight is going to be fabulous, Arisen. I'm so excited–" soon she began to trail off into ramblings. If not for you having slowed her down you're sure she would never have shut up. "Calm down, calm down," you chuckled, having to subdue her by her arms. It was ludicrous watching her talk so much and with a more boisterous attitude than normal. "What has gotten into you, Mercedes? You're such a chatterbox tonight!"   
  
Mercedes looked at you bashfully, trying her hardest to conceal her eagerness. Soon you find yourself pulled off to the side. "For a while now I've been trying very hard to court one of the Duke's men," she babbled, "and tonight I'm hoping is the night he makes his first move." Your face grows in joy. Never had you ever thought that you'd be having this sort of conversation. "Really? Who is it?" You inquired.   
  
Mercedes tried to calm herself, looking off out of the corner of her eye in hope that nobody else would possibly be able to hear her. "Ser Maximillian," she confessed sheepishly. You could see a faint glow underneath her mask and you gasped. "You can't be serious, Mercedes?" She nodded her head quickly. "Him? Of all people? You could have gone for anyone, even Julien, but him? You truly can't be serious."   
  
Mentioning Julien caused Mercedes' face to turn sour, crinkling up her nose in disgust. "Julien is a no good mangy dog. A snake. I'd rather kiss an ogre than even begin to think of him in such a way." Your eyes involuntarily jotted off to the side, spotting him for a moment before returning to look back at Mercedes. "Of course," you agreed.  
  
"Besides," she continued, "Ser Maximillian is very kind." You tilted your head slightly, tenderly simpering at her. "As long as he treats you well, my friend."   
  
Mercedes unexpectedly pulled you into a hug, catching you very much off guard. "Thank you, Arisen. For everything. I never expected to find such a good friend." Putting your arms around her felt nice, for the first time a friendly embrace felt very much appreciated.   
  
"But come, let us go and enjoy ourselves!" Mercedes once again linked an arm up with yours, rushing off into the crowd of people dancing away to the music of the band playing. What felt like hours passed by as you danced. Every once in a while you would stop for a drink. Somewhere between the time you had lost Mercedes to the large audience of people in the hall. Since then more guests had arrived, making it even more difficult to search for Mercedes. At this point, however, you'd stopped caring. She could handle herself. Anyways, she'd probably managed to find Ser Maximillian. You wouldn't be surprised if you didn't see her for the rest of the night.   
  
You cheered out as people danced and twirled with one another. You swiftly darted and capered between everyone when suddenly you came face to chest with a man, bumping directly into him. "Oh, excuse me! I'm so sorry about that," you apologized, momentarily discombobulated. "It's quite all right. Are you hurt?" He inquired, his hand softly touching your elbow. "Oh, I'm fine! Thank you!" You looked up to face the stranger only to come eye to eye with the one and only Ser Julien. "Oh, Julien. Hello."   
  
For the first time you actually saw this giant of a man show off a wide, toothy grin. "Arisen. You're looking lavish tonight," Julien praised. "Appreciated, ser." You stood there uncomfortably, shifting your weight from one leg to the other. The warmth of his hand left your arm and rather he held it out to you. "Care to dance, Arisen? It would be an honor to at least share this night with you." The offering of his hand left you conflicted. One half of you screamed in protest and the other urged you to take his offer. You thought back to what Mercedes had said, about everything she complained about in regards to this man. She had always been against Julien. All they ever did was fight, yet Julien had never really done anything to you to raise any of your red flags.   
  
Your body, your heart and your mind were at war in this moment and before you knew it your brain had lost. You took his hand almost embarrassingly quickly and he pulled you in, interlocking his fingers with yours and resting a large hand on your waist. If it hadn't been for the mask covering your face you would have been crying from the humiliation of the redness of your cheeks. Thank goodness it blended in.   
  
"What do you think of this? Of the masquerade?" Julien attempted to make idle conversation, yet it seemed almost forced. You spared no expense whatsoever by playing into it. "Would you not rather talk about something else other than this ball? I know what you're like with your small talk. You and I both at least share that one thing in common," you teased. Julien seemed somewhat impressed. "Ah, Arisen, if I'd known you were this feisty I'd have taken you for myself in the beginning." Your jaw almost fell slack but you just managed to catch yourself before you'd make a fool of yourself even further. "You forget yourself," you shot back with an amused smirk. Julien let out a hearty laugh, throwing his head back.   
  
"You're quite something, Arisen. I'm very fond of you," he admitted. There was no malice in his voice, no dishonesty. It was a lighthearted confession, seemingly in the moment but it gave you that fluttering feeling you felt in your chest and stomach you used to be so familiar with. "Contrary to popular belief, Ser Julien, I don't quite mind you either. A bit pretentious, maybe even a bit annoying at times, but... you're not too bad." His grip on your waist tightened ever so slightly and you felt Julien pull you just a bit closer into his body.   
  
Your throat tightened from nerves, his eyes studying you intently. You avoided his gaze by resting your head on his chest and closing your eyes. The metal of his armor felt cold and ridged, definitely not comfortable enough to be resting on but you needed some way of keeping your composure. You were never a drunk, but tonight you'd make an exception. "And what of Mercedes? The two of you are quite close after all. I'm aware of how she feels about me," he said. You kept silent.   
  
Julien smelled of gooseberries and lilac which itched at your nose pleasurably. Without thinking you pulled your hand out from his and swung your arms around his neck. Both of Julien's hands were now resting on either side of your waist and the two of you swayed to the music which was going way too fast to actually match your dancing to the tempo – if you could have even called this dancing. Julien said your name and you acknowledged it with a hum. "Would you look at me for a moment?" The request registered in your mind and you peered up at him. He looked down on you, those piercing blue eyes of his being the only thing you could see behind his mask. They were entrancing. Before you could recognize what was happening Julien had leaned down and connected his lips to yours. It took you by immediate surprise and at first you were unsure of what to do. Your body soon began to melt into the kiss and you eagerly reciprocated.   
  
Julien's hands traveled up your back as he began to lean further into the kiss. Your arms tightened around his neck, fingers brushing through his long, blonde hair. "We should find somewhere to go," he muttered against your lips. You nodded slowly, stealing one last kiss before he snatched your hand up and the two of you snuck off to find a bit more privacy.   
  
It almost felt like you were in slow motion as Julien pulled you off through the hall. Out of the corner of your eye you spotted Mercedes, standing there with Ser Maximillian. She was staring at you, baffled and with an expression of what almost seemed like disgust. Guilt bubbled up inside you, but once you looked back at Julien the feelings diminished into nothing. You had no reason to feel ashamed.   
  
Before you knew it you were being led outside into the night. You were running through the courtyard and out towards the castle walls surrounding the demesne. There were four floors, the fourth one being the lookout posts for many of the Duke's men. However, Julien took a turn towards a structure protruding out from the wall into the courtyard. It was a storage shed. Julien beckoned you into the room fervently. You looked around, noticing different garden tools to one side of the room, hay bails on the other and a chest against one of the walls. There was an outcrop between the two stacks of hay bails where there was a hay bed scattered on the floor. It was thick, covered in a blanket with a lantern hanging on the ceiling above it.  
  
"If I didn't know any better I would have thought this was all preplanned," you jested. Julien shrugged it off with a gleeful grin. "Come," he whispered. He had his hand offered out to you again and this time you took it without hesitancy. You were pulled into another kiss, this time more passionate and needy than the one the two of you had shared back in the castle. Julien picked you up off your feet and spun you around, resting you down onto the hay bed. You had only ever once allowed yourself to be grasped as such by another man. Valmiro, the boy you had grown up with back in Cassardis, had been your first in many ways. You'd felt almost similar then as you did now.   
  
You looked up at him through your lashes underneath your mask. His eyes were dead set on you, unmoving, unblinking. It was intimidating almost. He was fiddling with the belt around his waist, pulling it off and discarded it to one side, followed by his cape, chest armor, chain mail and gauntlets. His upper half was bare, chest clean and smooth with no hair in sight apart from the little bit on his stomach above the waistband of his trousers.   
  
You sat up on your elbows and Julien fell on top of you, your faces inches apart. He drank in the sight of you, your faces still hidden under your masks. His hands searched your body, feeling every bit of you. The dim lantern that hung above you illuminated him from above, making it seem almost as if he had a halo surrounding his head. Julien rested his forehead against yours, your noses touching. Everything about this moment felt perfect. Hungrily he attacked your lips once more. Your hands found his hair and he held your body up with one hand. You trusted him not to let you go. You didn't want him to let you go. Ever.  
  
You and Julien were two bodies intertwined together, a mass of lust and heat. At some point within the timespan of you both having laid yourselves down Julien had found his way inside you. He held himself up with one hand while you lay on your stomach. Your dress had been pushed up and Julien was bucking his hips wildly against you. His girth had filled you to your brim, your womanhood eagerly having anticipated his arrival. As Julien continued his pacing there was a warm pressure surrounding your throat, squeezing on each side.   
  
His hot breath on your ear sent shivers down your spine, goosebumps rising up on your arms and neck. With the last few thrusts from him you could muster through you felt yourself clench around his length, gasping out a shuddering moan and mewling out his name. The trembling in your voice sent him off edge and he sloppily drove himself into you one last time. He slowed down, steadily riding out both of your highs.   
  
Julien lay collapsed on your back, still resting himself inside of you. You could feel his frame expand and shrink, his heart racing in his chest. His lips peppered kisses from your shoulders and up to your neck where he bit and sucked a bruise into your skin. Julien held you close, heaving in an inhale and sighing.   
  
After a much needed breather from your encounter he'd lifted you back onto your feet, his thumb brushing over your hand lovingly once you'd got up. "We've been missing from the masquerade for some time. Shall we rejoin?" Julien asked slyly, a wickedly artful smirk on his face as he began to clothe himself. You mirrored his expression playfully. "Of course," you affirmed, taking his hand.   
  
You and Julien took a leisurely stroll through the courtyard, taking in the scenery. The peace was broken suddenly when you heard a loud commotion coming from the front of the Duke's demesne. Without a single thought you and Julien ran and finally rejoined everyone, stumbling up the stairs to the front entrance. The party seemed to have ended abruptly and people were yelling and panicked. You could only vaguely make out what they were squawking about. You and Julien hurriedly approached the guards who were trying to keep the peace and you demanded explanations. "What in the world is happening here?" You questioned, looking from person to person. One of the soldiers managed to sputter out an answer just loud enough for you to hear. "A murder. There's been a murder. There's a murderer amongst the guests." A veil of shock landed over you. Your blood ran cold for a moment and you looked back at Julien who seemed almost as shaken as you.  
  
To your right Ser Maximillian stood there with, of course, Mercedes. "Arisen, we're going to need your help." Ser Maximillian's steely expression hid concern underneath, his tone easily having given that away. "I'm afraid we can't let anyone leave the premises." You expected nothing less. "You do what's necessary, ser. Keep all the exits locked and guarded." The uproar from the patrons was almost deafening and irritating at this point. It seemed like you weren't the only one who was exasperated.   
  
Julien took charge, stepping forward to address the guests. He cleared his voice and spoke up loudly. "May I have your attention please. I require your attention!" He waved his hands in the air to signal everyone to look on him. Everyone seemed to calm down some, but there were murmurs of unease still littering the atmosphere. You could feel Mercedes' eyes jabbing you from behind. You met her glare. There was a shared silence between you and her. Even now it was almost as if just reading each others expressions was a whole discussion, no words necessary.  
  
You furrowed your brows in frustration, trying to get through to her somewhat. Mercedes shook her head slowly as her eyes narrowed. You knew the look and unfortunately all you could do was shrug it off. For some reason it felt like there was some sort of sin weighing down on your heart. You trained your attention back onto Julien who was doing his usual 'big man speech', as you'd come to call it. Julien came from a noble family and it truly showed; the way he presented himself, the way he spoke. His head was always held high, his posture straight. You'd never once seen him falter. Now was one of those moments where you got to see him at his most virtuous.   
  
Before this you'd thought nothing of Julien. You and Mercedes did nothing but relentlessly make fun of him behind his back, or more so Mercedes. The few interactions you'd had with Julien before the masquerade, although brief, weren't necessarily all that unpleasant. Perhaps it was because you were the Arisen that he treated you that much better? At this point you weren't sure. Nevertheless, it seemed just a bit of sweet talk from his end was able to easily sway you to his side. You were only just a bit embarrassed.  
  
Julien was barking orders from guard to guard, ordering for all guests to stay put. It took a few tries before the command had finally settled in and everyone began to calm somewhat. "Where was the murder?" You asked Max, still looking at the large crowd of patrons. "In one of the upstairs bedrooms, a private room for certain guests. We're not quite sure when during the night but we're thinking in the last maybe two hours, two and a half," he replied precisely. "Has the body been removed?" Every bit of information was crucial and you'd hoped nobody had tampered with the evidence. "No, ma'am. He's still upstairs." Julien beckoned for the crowd to split. "Shall we go see for ourselves?" He asked.  
  
Your level of concern was sky rocketing with every step you took. You felt somewhat vulnerable, but you had no reason to be. "Somehow I'm not surprised something like this has happened," you admitted. "But I'm worried we might not find the killer." Julien looked towards you with a tender expression, his hand reaching up to attentively rub at the small of your back. "I know your capabilities, Arisen. You'll find whoever commited this heinous crime." The side of your mouth pulled up into a concealed smile.   
  
You and Julien brought your attention back onto the large crowd of people. It was a wonder to think about just how you might be able to catch the culprit amongst what was most likely more that 800 people. You weren't afraid of what was ahead, or the possibility of getting caught at the end of the murderers blade. What you were most worried about were the lives of those at stake. Everyone right now could be a target.   
  
The four of you, including two guards accompanying you, trekked upstairs to said bedroom. In the distance towards the end of the bed lay the body of a woman laying in a pool of her own blood. You'd seen many a horrible things but this chilled you to the bone. "I need my pawns," you stated matter-of-factly. Max looked back at you; "it's forbidden." You furrowed your brows. "They can help," you told him. "They're incredibly analytical and with more bodies we can cover more ground."  
  
Max seemed stuck in thought. "Where is the Duke?" You inquired. "Classified. But he's in a safe place," Max shot back swiftly. If the Duke was away there was no applicable reasoning as to why the pawns couldn't enter the castle. "Let my pawns in," you demanded strictly. You could've sworn you could see Max's face turn a bright scarlet from irritation. "Fine, but under one condition." You gestured for him to continue. "I only allow you to bring one pawn into the domain."   
  
It was better than no pawns. A compromise you were prepared to shake on. "I'll make a deal out if that." You extended your hand and Max shook it firmly, nodding at you with a smile. You turned your back to the group and speed walked off towards the castle gate, trying your hardest not to trip over your dress. The guards at the front gate immediately stopped you, holding up a hand. "I've been given permission to acquire one of my pawns. Step aside, please," you declared. The guards seemed skeptical, but they looked at each other for a moment before lifting the gate midway. Nobody questioned the Arisen.  
  
Your pawns stood in waiting for you outside the gate, mingling with each other. Your main pawn, Dahlia, was the first to notice your presence. Dahlia looked similar to you, however you'd created her in the likeness of your late twin sister who went by the same name. Her hair was short, cut boyishly into a pixie cut. Often people mistook her as your true sister, which the people of Cassardis had found very disturbing the day you'd returned for a moment only for your sister, who had died 4 years prior, to have returned with you by your side. She stood at a matching height to you, if not a bit taller. Dahlia was a sorcerer, a prodigy in the arts of elements. She could cast powerful spells and summon tornados, meteors, form ice spikes and create earthquakes with the use of high bolide, high gicel, high maelstrom and high seism. You had been incredibly close with your sister before her abrupt passing and this pawn of yours was the closest you'd get to having her back.  
  
Accompanying you and Dahlia were two other pawns, those who had come from past and other parallel universe Arisens. It was a complicated situation, which not many people truly understood. The one was Kieran, a mage, talented in healing and mischief. He was able to cast spells such as high anodyne, high ingle, high comestion and high halidom. He was quiet, only speaking up when absolutely necessary. Then there was Robyn, a warrior of high stature, wielding her long sword Bitter End. She was a large woman, standing at least 6'7, muscular and scarred from battle. She was tough and incredibly durable, unnerved by nothing.   
  
"Master, is everything all right?" Dahlia stepped forward quickly, prying for an explanation. Despite her tone, her expression was neutral. That was something that was daunting to many a person when it came to pawns. Although taking the form of a human, they felt no true emotions. No anger, no sadness. Not even happiness.   
  
Your decision had already been made. "I've been granted permission to bring one pawn into the castle. There's been a murder and I'm going to need you Dahlia." You could feel the guards behind you grow uneasy. Kieran and Robyn looked at Dahlia then to you. "Would you like us to patrol the streets for any suspicious activity whilst you take care of that, master?" Kieran asked. "Please. That would be incredibly helpful."   
  
Robyn and Kieran, without a question, ran off in different directions. One to the commons and the other to the farms. "Are there any other men on safeguard throughout the city? If not, I suggest perhaps getting on with that," you insisted with a firm presence.   
  
You beckoned her to follow you into the castle and upon entering it felt like everyone's eyes were on you. Of course, Dahlia hadn't a care in the world. But her observations were brought to light. "It appears as if I might not be too welcome here, Arisen," she remarked calmly. "I feel some kind of unease resting upon this crowd."   
  
You and Dahlia made your way to the bedroom. Max and Mercedes looked back towards you, Julien standing there too. Max seemed bewildered, his eyebrows raised high. "I thought you were bringing one of your pawns not your–"  
  
Mercedes cut into the conversation. "That is her pawn." His quizzical expression bounced off of Mercedes and then back to you once more. "I don't quite follow. They look completely identical," he murmured.   
  
"It's... complicated," you said, passing him off dismissively. Dahlia walked towards the corpse, relatively fresh. "Arisen," your pawn started, "I've already noticed something strange about the body."  
  
You tilted your head curiously and joined your pawn. "What is it?" You asked. Dahlia was looking over the body analytically, eyes squinted. "There's no wounds from what I can see," she said. She turned the corpses head from one side to the other, finding no slashes.   
  
"Turn her over," suggested Mercedes. Dahlia obliged to her command and turned the body over. Still nothing.  
  
You all looked at each other, puzzled. "I do have... a weirdly magical sensation oozing off of the body. Like an aura," your pawn stated. Julien looked at you and you at him. He'd knitted his brows together in what you could familiarize as annoyance and confusion.  
  
"What exactly does that mean?" Max asked, taking a few steps forward to look over the body himself.   
  
Dahlia stood up. "We're dealing with a sorcerer."  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Many apologies if this ends up being abandoned.


End file.
